anonymoose
Well-Known Member
Team anonymoose hadn't yet hit the water for 2023.
I had pulled the tarp off the boat and brought it up to the house yesterday. It was full of mouse shit. I managed to get it vacuumed out and new mouse bait installed before heading out for my Saturday Father's Day duties. I've chuckled for years at the "home remedies" people use for mice and thought "pack her full of bromadiolone and you won't have an issue!".... well this year apparently I was cocky and only went with 2 bars. Those were eaten up and then the mice went to town. I keep my boat under a tarp in the bush for the winter. The bush is full of mice but I've never had much of a problem (other than once they ate the buttons off of my fish finder before they found the bait). Next year we go with 20 bars of bait. Luckily no visible damage.
6:30 sharp this morning and I'm out and working. The trailer got new tires this year as the old ones were absolutely shipwrecked. Apparently they don't make that size anymore, so the new tires are bigger requiring modifications to the fenders to make them fit. Lots of fun there. After re-bending the supports and rolling the fenders they were at a point where I was reasonably confident that they wouldn't cut the tires. Good enough for today.
I scrubbed it down with soap and water to remove any residue of mouse shit. The mice hit the bait last night and I hope they are rotting from the inside out. Grease the bearing buddies and put air in the new tires. Check the lights. One is dead, so that takes some time figuring out. Now the house is awake so its time to fire her up. No water from the telltale. Damn. Pull the cowl and water is gushing from a hose where a clamp has busted. Luckily I've got clamps on hand and throw a new one on. Still no water from the telltale - damn bugs have plugged it with mud again. That's an easy fix and the motor is purring away in the driveway.
Load her up with fishing gear, a tube, rope, fish finder, etc. and it is past lunch time. I ram in some leftovers and we are on the road to the bay! Probably 2:30 by the time we get to the launch, but it is still relatively busy. I'm at the Long Point Provincial Park launch (since I buy a Provincial Park pass every year, it is hard to resist). I launch the boat and as I'm walking back to the ramp I tell the next one in line "I've got an old motor. I'll push my boat as far down the dock as I can so you can sneak in, in front of me while she warms up". Maybe I'm crazy, but I swear they were almost shocked to hear common courtesy. Since she was running earlier in the day, my 70's motor sparked to life with no difficulty and happily putted me down the channel, but not before they were done launching.
With all my rushing around (6 full hours worth!) I managed to forget a couple of things. First was the bait bucket. Damn. Second was the net. So when we rolled into Old Cut (with lots of huge yachts, which I'm not used to seeing?) I thought we'd grab leeches. Nope - not until tomorrow, I was told. Thankful to get worms.
With my young kids, we normally spend the bulk of our time tubing rather than fishing and today was no exception. We did a bunch of tubing and then dragged some worms around. Just a few rock bass and one "non target" species in the 4lbs range, which is a pretty big "non target" species for team anonymoose. It was quickly released. Normally the rock bass would be table fare but given our limited fishing effort I figured there wouldn't be enough to feed us so back they went. Don't tell anyone that LPB rock bass are killer eating.
More tubing. Approaching supper time, we decided to head in. Those who are familiar with the Long Point Provincial Park launch will know that there are 2.5 bays. Two that are suitable for boats, and a third that is mostly used by canoes and kayaks. We pulled in and there was no line, only one (very expensive looking) boat on one side, and the other side had two kayaks that had been pulled ashore (leaving the canoe/kayak area empty). I didn't think much of it, as the ramp wasn't busy, so why not take any spot available? We pulled our boat in behind the two kayaks and I went to get the truck/trailer. When I backed it down, I saw that the kayak owner had put their car down in the lane for the canoe/kayak bays. Great, I thought! So I backed my trailer down to the kayaks, assuming that they would move them to the side to let me back down to the water.
I watched for a few minutes as they carefully folded this and that, and put some fishing rods in the car. I got out and (in my politest voice) asked if they wouldn't mind moving their kayaks a couple feet to the side, so that I might be able to access my boat.
"Maybe if you give us 5 minutes!" was the curt reply I was given.
Seeing this display of bravado, and with nothing else to do, I had nothing but a grin and an "okay" to reply with. So 5 minutes go by, as I watch them do everything but touch the kayaks. Chatting away, father and son, they seem to enjoy their position of dominance, and I really don't care. My kids are using the bathroom and I don't have a pressing issue to attend to, but I can't help but question why someone wouldn't take 20 seconds to move their kayaks 2 feet, to allow someone access to their boat??
Now 10 minutes has passed, and sadly the big expensive boat has dragged their skeg all the way up the ramp. Ouch! But as good citizens, they move their rig to the side to allow others through, so I maneuver my trailer over to that side, still with the kayaks blocking the ramp. Then I get back in my boat, lower the motor (my son has already raised it), and pull the boat over to the other ramp. Load, tie down, and go, while the kayak duo are still asserting dominance over one of the ramps.
I got a good chuckle at first over the situation, thinking about how the insecure father needs to assert his dominance... As I left, I thought about the son, who is being taught this lesson on Father's Day. An act of kindness isn't worth 2 seconds of our time, to save another family 10+ minutes of theirs. That's the lesson he taught his son today.
End rant! I'm ending this Father's day with sincere appreciation for the lessons I learned as a boy. I'm eternally grateful to my father and I am truly blessed to have the time and thoughtful lessons I've been given.
I had pulled the tarp off the boat and brought it up to the house yesterday. It was full of mouse shit. I managed to get it vacuumed out and new mouse bait installed before heading out for my Saturday Father's Day duties. I've chuckled for years at the "home remedies" people use for mice and thought "pack her full of bromadiolone and you won't have an issue!".... well this year apparently I was cocky and only went with 2 bars. Those were eaten up and then the mice went to town. I keep my boat under a tarp in the bush for the winter. The bush is full of mice but I've never had much of a problem (other than once they ate the buttons off of my fish finder before they found the bait). Next year we go with 20 bars of bait. Luckily no visible damage.
6:30 sharp this morning and I'm out and working. The trailer got new tires this year as the old ones were absolutely shipwrecked. Apparently they don't make that size anymore, so the new tires are bigger requiring modifications to the fenders to make them fit. Lots of fun there. After re-bending the supports and rolling the fenders they were at a point where I was reasonably confident that they wouldn't cut the tires. Good enough for today.
I scrubbed it down with soap and water to remove any residue of mouse shit. The mice hit the bait last night and I hope they are rotting from the inside out. Grease the bearing buddies and put air in the new tires. Check the lights. One is dead, so that takes some time figuring out. Now the house is awake so its time to fire her up. No water from the telltale. Damn. Pull the cowl and water is gushing from a hose where a clamp has busted. Luckily I've got clamps on hand and throw a new one on. Still no water from the telltale - damn bugs have plugged it with mud again. That's an easy fix and the motor is purring away in the driveway.
Load her up with fishing gear, a tube, rope, fish finder, etc. and it is past lunch time. I ram in some leftovers and we are on the road to the bay! Probably 2:30 by the time we get to the launch, but it is still relatively busy. I'm at the Long Point Provincial Park launch (since I buy a Provincial Park pass every year, it is hard to resist). I launch the boat and as I'm walking back to the ramp I tell the next one in line "I've got an old motor. I'll push my boat as far down the dock as I can so you can sneak in, in front of me while she warms up". Maybe I'm crazy, but I swear they were almost shocked to hear common courtesy. Since she was running earlier in the day, my 70's motor sparked to life with no difficulty and happily putted me down the channel, but not before they were done launching.
With all my rushing around (6 full hours worth!) I managed to forget a couple of things. First was the bait bucket. Damn. Second was the net. So when we rolled into Old Cut (with lots of huge yachts, which I'm not used to seeing?) I thought we'd grab leeches. Nope - not until tomorrow, I was told. Thankful to get worms.
With my young kids, we normally spend the bulk of our time tubing rather than fishing and today was no exception. We did a bunch of tubing and then dragged some worms around. Just a few rock bass and one "non target" species in the 4lbs range, which is a pretty big "non target" species for team anonymoose. It was quickly released. Normally the rock bass would be table fare but given our limited fishing effort I figured there wouldn't be enough to feed us so back they went. Don't tell anyone that LPB rock bass are killer eating.
More tubing. Approaching supper time, we decided to head in. Those who are familiar with the Long Point Provincial Park launch will know that there are 2.5 bays. Two that are suitable for boats, and a third that is mostly used by canoes and kayaks. We pulled in and there was no line, only one (very expensive looking) boat on one side, and the other side had two kayaks that had been pulled ashore (leaving the canoe/kayak area empty). I didn't think much of it, as the ramp wasn't busy, so why not take any spot available? We pulled our boat in behind the two kayaks and I went to get the truck/trailer. When I backed it down, I saw that the kayak owner had put their car down in the lane for the canoe/kayak bays. Great, I thought! So I backed my trailer down to the kayaks, assuming that they would move them to the side to let me back down to the water.
I watched for a few minutes as they carefully folded this and that, and put some fishing rods in the car. I got out and (in my politest voice) asked if they wouldn't mind moving their kayaks a couple feet to the side, so that I might be able to access my boat.
"Maybe if you give us 5 minutes!" was the curt reply I was given.
Seeing this display of bravado, and with nothing else to do, I had nothing but a grin and an "okay" to reply with. So 5 minutes go by, as I watch them do everything but touch the kayaks. Chatting away, father and son, they seem to enjoy their position of dominance, and I really don't care. My kids are using the bathroom and I don't have a pressing issue to attend to, but I can't help but question why someone wouldn't take 20 seconds to move their kayaks 2 feet, to allow someone access to their boat??
Now 10 minutes has passed, and sadly the big expensive boat has dragged their skeg all the way up the ramp. Ouch! But as good citizens, they move their rig to the side to allow others through, so I maneuver my trailer over to that side, still with the kayaks blocking the ramp. Then I get back in my boat, lower the motor (my son has already raised it), and pull the boat over to the other ramp. Load, tie down, and go, while the kayak duo are still asserting dominance over one of the ramps.
I got a good chuckle at first over the situation, thinking about how the insecure father needs to assert his dominance... As I left, I thought about the son, who is being taught this lesson on Father's Day. An act of kindness isn't worth 2 seconds of our time, to save another family 10+ minutes of theirs. That's the lesson he taught his son today.
End rant! I'm ending this Father's day with sincere appreciation for the lessons I learned as a boy. I'm eternally grateful to my father and I am truly blessed to have the time and thoughtful lessons I've been given.
WOW!! 
Sometimes of course it’s all about the timing,but still,there should never be an issue when you’re trying to use that side of the boat ramp,to get your boat back on your boat trailer. Lately,I have brought my canoe/kayak - hybrid with me to long point bay,and if I do see the boat ramp congested with boat’s,kayak’s,sea-doo’s,etc., I will just carry it in,and launch my watercraft somewhere else in the bay,further away from the boat ramp,to give the boater’s more space to launch their watercraft’s. I know that you cannot do that with your boat,but here’s hoping that the rest of your boating season will be a good one,with no headache’s! Tight lines my friend & Fish ON!! 
!